Khuddaka Nikaya
Tipitaka>>Sutta Pitaka>>'Khuddaka Nikaya' The Khuddaka Nikaya, or "Collection of Little Texts" (Pali khudda = "smaller; lesser"), the fifth division of the Sutta Pitaka, is a wide-ranging collection of fifteen books (eighteen in the Burmese Tipitaka) that contain complete suttas, verses, and smaller fragments of Dhamma teachings. While many of these have been treasured and memorized by devout Buddhists around the world for centuries, others have never left the private domain of Pali scholars, and have never even been translated into English. ---- #'Khuddakapatha' ("The Short Passages") — A collection of nine short passages that may have been designed as a primer for novice monks and nuns. It includes several essential texts that to this day are regularly chanted by laypeople and monastics around the world of Theravada Buddhism. These passages include: the formula for [[]]taking refuge; [[]]the ten precepts; and the Metta, Mangala, and Ratana suttas. #'Dhammapada' ("The Path of Dhamma") — This much-beloved collection of 423 short verses has been studied and learned by heart over the centuries by millions of Buddhists around the world. #'Udana' ("Exclamations") — A rich collection of short suttas, each of which culminates in a short verse uttered by the Buddha. Here you will find the parable of the blind men and the elephant (Ud VI.4); the story of Nanda and the "dove-footed nymphs" (Ud III.2); and many memorable similes (e.g., "Just as the ocean has one taste — the taste of salt — so this Dhamma-Vinaya has one taste, the taste of release." (Ud V.5)). Many gems here! On-line: Selected suttas from the Udana, by various translators, are available here. #'Itivuttaka' ("The Thus-saids") — A collection of 112 short suttas, in mixed prose and verse form, each of which addresses a single well-focused topic of Dhamma. The Itivuttaka takes its name from the Pali phrase that introduces each sutta: iti vuttam Bhagavata, "Thus was said by the Buddha." #'Sutta Nipata' ("The Sutta Collection") — 71 short suttas, including the Karaniya Metta Sutta (Good-will/Loving-kindness), the Maha-mangala Sutta(Protection), and the Atthaka Vagga, a chapter of sixteen poems on the theme of non-clinging. #Vimanavatthu ("Stories of the Celestial Mansions") — 85 poems, each explaining how wholesome deeds led to a particular deity's rebirth in one of the heavenly realms. ?? #Petavatthu ("Stories of the Hungry Ghosts") — 51 poems, each explaining how unwholesome deeds led to the rebirth of a being into the miserable realm of the "Hungry Ghosts" (peta). #[[Theragatha] ("Verses of the Elder Monks") #Therigatha ("Verses of the Elder Nuns") — These two books offer exquisitely beautiful personal accounts, in verse form, of the lives of the early monks and nuns, often culminating in a lovely simile to describe their experience of Awakening. These verses depict — in often heart-breaking detail — the many hardships these men and women endured and overcame during their quest for Awakening, and offer deep inspiration and encouragement to the rest of us. On-line: Excerpts from the Theragatha and Therigatha by various translators are available here. #Jataka ("Birth Stories") — 547 tales that recount some of the Buddha's former lives during his long journey as a Bodhisatta aspiring to Awakening. #Niddesa ("Exposition") — "a commentary to a part of the Sutta Nipata traditionally ascribed to Sariputta" {PLL p.22}. ?? #Patisambhidamagga ("Path of Discrimination") — An analysis of certain Abhidhamma concepts. ?? #Apadana ("Stories") — Biographies, in verse, of the Buddha, 41 Paccekabuddhas ("silent" Buddhas), 549 arahant bhikkhus and 40 arahant bhikkhunis. Many of these stories are characterized by flowery paeans celebrating the glory, wonder, magnificence, etc. of the Buddha. The Apadana is believed to be a late addition to the Canon, added at the Second and Third Buddhist Councils. #Buddhavamsa ("History of the Buddhas") — Biographical accounts of Gotama Buddha and of the 24 Buddhas who preceded him. ?? #Cariyapitaka ("Basket of Conduct") — Stories, in verse, of 35 of the Buddha's previous lives. These stories, purportedly retold by the Buddha at Ven. Sariputta's request, illustrate the Bodhisatta's practice of seven of the ten paramis (perfections). ?? ---- The following books are included in the Burmese edition of the Tipitaka only. In the Sinhala and Thai editions they are regarded as belonging to the post-canonical literature. #Nettippakarana #Petakopadesa — These two short books are "different from the other books of the Tipitaka because they are exegetical and methodological in nature" {GT p.138}. The Nettippakarana is "considered an important text that explains the doctrinal points of Buddhism" {HPL p.100}. ?? #Milindapañha ("Questions of Milinda") — This collection of sutta-like passages recounts a dialogue concerning profound points of Dhamma between the arahant Ven. Nagasena and the Bactrian Greek king Milinda (Menander). The king, a philosopher and skilled debater, poses to Ven. Nagasena one question after another concerning the Dhamma, each of which Ven. Nagasena masterfully answers. Like so many stories from the Pali Canon, this one has a happy ending: the king is so deeply inspired by Ven. Nagasena's wisdom that he converts to Buddhism, hands over his kingdom to his son, joins the Sangha, and eventually becomes an arahant himself. Source: Acesstoinsight